The Government will pass the Persons with Disability (Amendment) Bill as part of its commitment to enhancing the legal framework on disability rights.

It would also introduce a Legislative Instrument (LI) to further strengthen the provisions of the Persons with Disability (PWDs) Act of 2006 (Act 715).

President John Dramani Mahama said this on Thursday during his presentation of the first State of the Nation Address to Parliament in Accra.

He said the Government intended to ensure the implementation of the legislation that enjoined public and private employers to reserve five per cent of their employment for PWDs.

Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, tabled the Private Member’s Bill provision of five per cent employment slots for PWDs in Parliament on September 5, 2022.

It was to help provide for compulsory employment of PWDs in all public and private institutions and provide for related matters. 

“… I want to reiterate our commitment to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to free tertiary education and equal opportunities to pursue their academic and professional ambitions,” President Mahama said.

He said his government was also implementing measures to expand the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Programme under its “Big LEAP” initiative.

“As we work towards completing the Ghana National Household Data Census by 2025, we will reassess the status of LEAP beneficiary households to facilitate the enrolment of new beneficiaries,” the President said.